This invention relates to an outboard motor and more particularly to an improved arrangement for attaching the steering shaft of an outboard motor to its driveshaft housing.
Most conventional outboard motor constructions employ a clamping bracket that is adapted to be affixed in a suitable manner to the hull of the associated watercraft and which pivotally supports a swivel bracket for tilt and trim movement. The swivel bracket, in turn, journals a steering shaft for steering movement about a generally vertically extending steering axis when the swivel bracket is tilted down. The steering shaft is, in turn, resiliently connected to the driveshaft housing so as to support the remaining components of the outboard motor on the clamping bracket. The resilient support is employed for reducing the transmission of vibrations from the operation of the propulsion unit, including the powering internal combustion engine, to the hull.
Normally the driveshaft housing is a generally open casing made from a lightweight material such as an aluminum or aluminum alloy casting. This driveshaft housing is generally open at the top and the power head, including the powering internal combustion engine, is carried at the upper end of this driveshaft housing.
Conventionally the structure for attaching at least the upper end of the steering shaft to the driveshaft housing has been comprised of a lower mounting plate that is affixed to the driveshaft housing and which closes at least a portion of the top of the cavity. This plate forms a pair of recesses that receive elastic elements which, in turn, are connected to a steering bracket which is, in turn, connected to the steering shaft. A clamping plate is affixed to the mounting plate and holds the elastic element or elements in position, and thus completes the assemblage. It should be readily apparent that this type of construction requires a number of parts which require assembly, and which can work loose if their fasteners are not properly tightened.
In addition, the cooling water for the engine is normally supplied by a cooling water supply pipe that extends upwardly through the driveshaft housing casing in the area of the steering bracket attachment. This water supply pipe must, with previously proposed constructions, be bent to curve around the steering bracket and thus provides a relatively large assembly.
It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide an improved and simplified arrangement for connecting a steering shaft to the driveshaft housing of an outboard motor.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved and simplified mounting arrangement for such a connection that minimizes the number of parts and the number of detachable connections.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a mounting arrangement for the steering shaft of an outboard motor to the driveshaft housing that will readily accommodate a cooling water supply pipe.